Federalism — Question Bank

A. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1.

Which statement best describes federalism?

A. Power is concentrated entirely in the national government.
B. Power is divided between different levels of government.
C. Only local governments have constitutional powers.
D. Regional governments are always subordinate to the national government.

Answer: B

2.

Which is an important objective of federalism?

A. Eliminating regional identities
B. Strengthening only the central government
C. Maintaining national unity while accommodating diversity
D. Giving all powers to local governments

Answer: C

3.

Which country is an example of a “coming-together” federation?

A. India
B. Belgium
C. USA
D. Spain

Answer: C

4.

India is generally described as which type of federation?

A. Coming-together
B. Holding-together
C. Unitary
D. Confederation

Answer: B

5.

Which feature distinguishes a federal system from a unitary system?

A. Existence of elections
B. Existence of courts
C. Constitutional division of powers between levels of government
D. Existence of political parties

Answer: C

6.

In a federal system, the powers of different levels of government are generally:

A. Unwritten and temporary
B. Constitutionally defined
C. Controlled entirely by political parties
D. Decided by local governments

Answer: B

7.

Which institution acts as an umpire when disputes arise between different levels of government?

A. Parliament
B. Election Commission
C. Judiciary
D. Political parties

Answer: C

8.

Which subject belongs to the Union List?

A. Police
B. Agriculture
C. Defence
D. Irrigation

Answer: C

9.

Which subject belongs to the State List?

A. Currency
B. Foreign affairs
C. Defence
D. Police

Answer: D

10.

Which of the following belongs to the Concurrent List?

A. Currency
B. Education
C. Defence
D. Police

Answer: B

11.

If Union and State laws conflict on a Concurrent List subject, which law prevails?

A. State law
B. Union law
C. Local government law
D. Both become invalid

Answer: B

12.

Who has the power to legislate on residuary subjects in India?

A. State Governments
B. Local Governments
C. Union Government
D. Gram Sabha

Answer: C

13.

Which of the following was added as the third tier of Indian federalism?

A. District Courts
B. Panchayats and Municipalities
C. Political parties
D. Union Territories

Answer: B

14.

Which development strengthened Indian federalism after 1990?

A. Decline of regional parties
B. Rise of coalition governments
C. Complete abolition of State powers
D. End of elections

Answer: B

15.

The creation of States mainly on the basis of language is called:

A. Decentralisation
B. Linguistic reorganisation
C. Coalition formation
D. Centralisation

Answer: B

16.

Which statement about India’s language policy is correct?

A. The Constitution declared one language as the national language.
B. Hindi was made the only language for all government work.
C. The policy accommodated linguistic diversity.
D. States were not allowed their own official languages.

Answer: C

17.

What is decentralisation?

A. Transfer of power from local to central government
B. Transfer of power from higher levels to local government
C. Abolition of State Governments
D. Transfer of all powers to Parliament

Answer: B

18.

Which institution consists of all voters in a village?

A. Gram Panchayat
B. Gram Sabha
C. Zilla Parishad
D. Panchayat Samiti

Answer: B

19.

Who is the elected head of a Gram Panchayat?

A. Mayor
B. Governor
C. Sarpanch
D. Collector

Answer: C

20.

A large city is generally governed by a:

A. Gram Panchayat
B. Municipal Corporation
C. Panchayat Samiti
D. Zilla Parishad

Answer: B

21.

The constitutional strengthening of local government took place through an amendment in:

A. 1975
B. 1985
C. 1992
D. 2002

Answer: C

22.

At least what proportion of positions in local bodies was reserved for women under the provisions described in the chapter?

A. One-fourth
B. One-third
C. One-half
D. Two-thirds

Answer: B

23.

Which body conducts elections to Panchayats and Municipalities at the State level?

A. Election Commission of India
B. State Election Commission
C. Gram Sabha
D. Parliament

Answer: B

24.

Which of these is a rural local-government institution?

A. Municipal Corporation
B. Municipality
C. Gram Panchayat
D. Mayor’s Council

Answer: C

25.

Which of these is the political head of a Municipal Corporation?

A. Sarpanch
B. Mayor
C. Governor
D. Chief Minister

Answer: B

B. Fill in the Blanks

Federalism is a system in which power is divided between the ______ government and constituent units.
Answer: central/national
Federalism seeks to preserve national ______ while accommodating regional diversity.
Answer: unity
USA, Switzerland and Australia are examples of ______ federations.
Answer: coming-together
India, Spain and Belgium are examples of ______ federations.
Answer: holding-together
India is constitutionally described as a ______ of States.
Answer: Union
The original Indian federal structure had ______ levels of government.
Answer: two
Panchayats and Municipalities form the ______ tier of government.
Answer: third
Defence and foreign affairs are subjects in the ______ List.
Answer: Union
Police and agriculture belong to the ______ List.
Answer: State
Education and forests are examples of subjects in the ______ List.
Answer: Concurrent
On a conflict between Union and State laws on a Concurrent subject, the ______ law prevails.
Answer: Union
Subjects not included in the three lists are called ______ subjects.
Answer: residuary
The transfer of power to local government is known as ______.
Answer: decentralisation
The village-level elected body is called the ______ Panchayat.
Answer: Gram
All voters in a village together form the ______.
Answer: Gram Sabha
The elected head of a Gram Panchayat is generally called the ______.
Answer: Sarpanch
A group of Gram Panchayats forms a Panchayat Samiti or ______.
Answer: Block/Mandal
The district-level rural body is called the ______ Parishad.
Answer: Zilla
The political head of a Municipal Corporation is the ______.
Answer: Mayor
The major constitutional step towards decentralisation was taken in ______.
Answer: 1992

C. True or False

Federalism means that all power belongs to the central government.
False
Federalism aims to balance national unity with regional diversity.
True
India is an example of a coming-together federation.
False
USA is an example of a coming-together federation.
True
In a federal system, the Constitution generally defines the powers of different levels.
True
Police is a Union List subject.
False
Defence is a Union List subject.
True
Education is included in the Concurrent List.
True
Residuary powers in India belong to State Governments.
False
Linguistic reorganisation weakened Indian unity according to the chapter’s conclusion.
False
India’s language policy attempted to accommodate linguistic diversity.
True
Regional parties became more important after 1990.
True
Coalition politics had no effect on Centre-State relations.
False
Decentralisation means transferring power to local governments.
True
Gram Sabha consists only of elected members of the Gram Panchayat.
False
Municipal Corporations operate in large cities.
True
The 1992 amendment strengthened local governments constitutionally.
True
Local governments have completely solved all problems of self-government.
False

D. Assertion–Reason Questions

Choose:

A. Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.
B. Both A and R are true, but R does not correctly explain A.
C. A is true, but R is false.
D. A is false, but R is true.

1.

Assertion (A): Federalism helps maintain national unity while recognising regional diversity.
Reason (R): Federalism divides governmental authority among different levels.

Answer: A

2.

Assertion: India is a holding-together federation.
Reason: India divided power between the Union and constituent States within a large country.

Answer: A

3.

Assertion: The judiciary is important in a federal system.
Reason: Courts can settle disputes concerning the powers of different governments.

Answer: A

4.

Assertion: Linguistic States strengthened Indian federalism.
Reason: Recognition of linguistic identities helped accommodate diversity.

Answer: A

5.

Assertion: Decentralisation encourages democratic participation.
Reason: Local people can participate more directly in decisions affecting their communities.

Answer: A

6.

Assertion: India has only two levels of government.
Reason: Panchayats and Municipalities form a third tier.

Answer: D

7.

Assertion: Coalition politics contributed to greater respect for State autonomy.
Reason: National governments often needed the support of regional parties.

Answer: A

8.

Assertion: Local governments in India have no constitutional significance.
Reason: The 1992 amendment gave constitutional backing to the third tier.

Answer: D

E. Match the Following

Set 1

Column A	Column B
1. Defence	A. State List
2. Police	B. Concurrent List
3. Education	C. Union List
4. Agriculture	D. State List

Answers:
1–C, 2–A, 3–B, 4–D

Set 2

Column A	Column B
1. Gram Panchayat	A. City
2. Panchayat Samiti	B. Village
3. Zilla Parishad	C. Block/Mandal
4. Municipal Corporation	D. District

Answers:
1–B, 2–C, 3–D, 4–A

Set 3

Column A	Column B
1. USA	A. Holding-together federation
2. India	B. Coming-together federation
3. Gram Sabha	C. All village voters
4. Mayor	D. Municipal Corporation

Answers:
1–B, 2–A, 3–C, 4–D

F. Very Short Answer Questions

1. What is federalism?

A system in which power is constitutionally divided among different levels of government.

2. Name the two broad types of federations.

Coming-together and holding-together federations.

3. Give two examples of coming-together federations.

USA and Switzerland.

4. Give two examples of holding-together federations.

India and Belgium.

5. What is jurisdiction?

The area or subjects over which a government has legal authority.

6. Name the three lists in the Indian Constitution.

Union List, State List and Concurrent List.

7. Name two subjects in the Union List.

Defence and foreign affairs.

8. Name two subjects in the State List.

Police and agriculture.

9. Name two Concurrent List subjects.

Education and forests.

10. What are residuary subjects?

Subjects not included in the Union, State or Concurrent Lists.

11. Who controls residuary subjects in India?

The Union Government.

12. What is decentralisation?

Transfer of power from higher levels of government to local governments.

13. What is Gram Sabha?

The body consisting of all voters in a village.

14. Who is the head of a Gram Panchayat?

The Sarpanch.

15. Who is the political head of a Municipal Corporation?

The Mayor.

16. When was the major constitutional step towards decentralisation taken?

17. What is a coalition government?

A government formed by two or more political parties working together.

18. Why were linguistic States created?

To recognise linguistic identities and organise administration accordingly.

G. Short Answer Questions

1. Why is mutual trust important in federalism?

Different governments must respect the agreed division of powers. Without trust, one level may attempt to dominate another, weakening federal arrangements.

2. Distinguish between coming-together and holding-together federations.

In coming-together federations, independent States voluntarily join to create a larger federation. In holding-together federations, a large country divides power between the national government and constituent units.

3. Why is India called a federal country even though the Constitution calls it a “Union of States”?

The Constitution divides powers between Union and State Governments, provides separate jurisdictions, establishes judicial mechanisms for disputes and constitutionally protects the basic power-sharing arrangement.

4. Why is the Concurrent List necessary?

It contains subjects that require participation from both Union and State Governments because they are of common interest.

5. Why does the Union Government have residuary powers in India?

The Constitution assigns subjects not covered by the three lists to the Union Government.

6. How did linguistic States strengthen Indian unity?

Although initially feared to be divisive, linguistic reorganisation gave regional linguistic identities constitutional and administrative recognition. The chapter concludes that this helped accommodate diversity and strengthen unity.

7. How did India’s language policy support federalism?

Instead of imposing a single language on all regions, the system recognised linguistic diversity, allowed States to have their own official languages and continued the use of English for official purposes alongside Hindi.

8. How did regional parties strengthen federalism?

Their growing importance, particularly after 1990, made national governments more dependent on regional political forces and encouraged greater power-sharing and respect for State autonomy.

9. Why is decentralisation necessary in India?

India’s States themselves are very large and internally diverse. Local governments are better placed to understand and address many everyday local problems.

10. Mention two achievements and two problems of local government.

Achievements: greater democratic participation and increased women’s representation.
Problems: insufficient transfer of powers and inadequate financial resources.

H. Long Answer Questions

1. Explain the major features of federalism.

Points to cover:

Two or more levels of government
Separate jurisdiction
Constitutional division of powers
Protection against unilateral alteration
Independent judiciary
Financial autonomy
Power-sharing based on mutual trust

2. Explain how the Indian Constitution distributes power between the Union and State Governments.

Points to cover:

Union List
State List
Concurrent List
Residuary powers
Constitutional protection
Role of judiciary
Financial powers

3. Explain the major factors that strengthened federalism in India.

Points to cover:

Linguistic reorganisation of States
Accommodation of linguistic diversity
More balanced Centre-State relations
Rise of regional parties
Coalition governments after 1990
Judicial protection of State autonomy

4. Explain decentralisation and its importance in India.

Points to cover:

Meaning of decentralisation
Need for local decision-making
Local knowledge of problems
Direct democratic participation
Panchayats and Municipalities
Constitutional strengthening in 1992

5. Describe the structure of rural local government.

Points to cover:

Gram Panchayat
Gram Sabha
Panchayat Samiti/Block/Mandal
Zilla Parishad
Elections and representation

6. Explain the importance of the 1992 constitutional amendment for local government.

Points to cover:

Regular elections
Reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs
At least one-third reservation for women
State Election Commissions
Sharing of powers and revenue
Constitutional strengthening of local democracy

I. Case-Based Questions

Case 1

A country has a national government and regional governments. Their responsibilities are written into the Constitution. Neither level can simply take away the basic powers of the other. Courts settle disputes between them.

Questions

1. What type of political arrangement is described?
Answer: Federalism.

2. Why is the judiciary important here?
Answer: It can interpret the Constitution and settle disputes concerning governmental powers.

3. Identify one other feature of such a system.
Answer: Each level has constitutionally defined jurisdiction.

Case 2

A large country has many linguistic communities. Instead of forcing every region to use one language for all State administration, different States are permitted to use their own official languages. The national government also adopts a flexible approach to language use.

Questions

1. What aspect of Indian federalism does this example illustrate?
Answer: Language policy and accommodation of linguistic diversity.

2. Why is this important for federalism?
Answer: It allows regional identities to be recognised while maintaining national unity.

3. What could happen if regional linguistic identities were completely ignored?
Answer: It could create tensions between different linguistic communities and weaken the spirit of power-sharing.

Case 3

A village has an elected Gram Panchayat. All adult voters can participate in the Gram Sabha. The Panchayat’s performance and budget are discussed in village meetings.

Questions

1. Which level of government is described?
Answer: Local government.

2. What is the Gram Sabha?
Answer: The body consisting of all voters in the village.

3. What democratic principle does this arrangement promote?
Answer: Local self-government and direct democratic participation.

J. Application-Based Questions

1.

Suppose a State Government wants to make a law concerning police. Does it normally have constitutional authority to do so?

Answer: Yes. Police is a State List subject.

2.

Suppose the Union and a State pass conflicting laws concerning a subject in the Concurrent List. Which law prevails?

Answer: The Union law.

3.

A village wants to decide how money should be spent on local priorities. Which level of government is best suited to address this?

Answer: Local government, because decentralisation brings decision-making closer to the people.

4.

A national political party has no majority and needs regional parties to form the government. What kind of government may emerge?

Answer: A coalition government.

5.

A government tries to impose one language on regions where people speak different languages. Why could this create a federal problem?

Answer: It may fail to accommodate regional diversity and can create tensions between the Centre and linguistic communities.

K. Competency-Based Questions

1. “Unity does not always require uniformity.” Explain this statement using federalism.

Answer: Federalism allows different regions to retain their identities and exercise powers in their own areas while remaining part of one country. Thus, diversity can be accommodated without breaking national unity.

2. Why might local people make better decisions about some local problems than a distant central authority?

Answer: They have direct knowledge of local conditions, priorities and difficulties, allowing decisions to be better suited to their community.

3. Why is a constitution important in a federation?

Answer: It clearly establishes the powers and jurisdiction of different levels of government and protects the basic power-sharing arrangement.

L. “Name the Following”

The system of sharing power among different levels of government — Federalism
The body containing all voters of a village — Gram Sabha
The elected head of a Gram Panchayat — Sarpanch
The district-level rural body — Zilla Parishad
The head of a Municipal Corporation — Mayor
Transfer of power to local government — Decentralisation
Federation formed by independent States joining together — Coming-together federation
Federation formed when a large country divides power — Holding-together federation
Subjects of national importance — Union List
Subjects mainly concerning States — State List
Subjects shared by Union and States — Concurrent List
Subjects outside the three lists — Residuary subjects
Government formed by multiple political parties — Coalition government
Village-level elected body — Gram Panchayat
Urban local government in a large city — Municipal Corporation

M. One-Word / One-Phrase Revision

Question	Answer
Federalism’s two broad objectives	Unity + diversity
India’s federation type	Holding-together
USA’s federation type	Coming-together
National-level list	Union List
State-level list	State List
Shared list	Concurrent List
Unlisted subjects	Residuary
Third tier	Local government
Village voters’ body	Gram Sabha
Village council	Gram Panchayat
Block-level body	Panchayat Samiti
District-level body	Zilla Parishad
Large-city local body	Municipal Corporation
Head of Gram Panchayat	Sarpanch
Head of Municipal Corporation	Mayor
Power transfer to local level	Decentralisation
Major local-government reform	1992 amendment
Multi-party government	Coalition government

Exam Questions

If you have limited preparation time, prioritise these:

What is federalism? Explain its key features.
Differentiate between coming-together and holding-together federations.
Why is India a federal country?
Explain the three lists in the Indian Constitution with examples.
How has linguistic reorganisation strengthened Indian federalism?
Explain India’s language policy.
How have regional parties and coalition governments strengthened federalism?
What is decentralisation? Why is it important?
Explain the structure of Panchayati Raj.
What changes were introduced by the 1992 constitutional amendment?
Explain the achievements and limitations of local government in India.
Differentiate between federal and unitary governments.